7 College Habits You Should Drop Before Landing A Real Job

The moment college ends, your life will officially change. But whether you’re attending graduate school or planning to become a life coach, those habits that were cool in school aren’t exactly career-starters . Here are seven habits you should drop once you hit the “real world.”

Procrastinating

One of the top habits that every new grad should master? Stop procrastinating! Yeah, procrastination seemed like a good idea when you put studying for finals on hold to attend the latest rager, but procrastination in the real world is harmful. The workplace doesn’t condone procrastination and no, your boss won’t be as considerate as your professor when you explain why you haven’t finished your reports. To stop procrastinating, try making a daily or weekly to-do list and reward yourself as you complete each task. Associating something good with completing a task can do wonders for ending your procrastination habit.

Partying Too Hard

Partying the night away may look cool in college, but as you get older, you’ll find that imbibing alcohol on a daily basis and staying up all night is detrimental for your physical and mental well-being. It’s OK to have a social agenda, but it’s even more important to practice moderation, especially with drinking. Instead of going out for drinks every night after work, limit your alcohol intake to 1 to 2 nights per week. Your body and mind will thank you for it!

Playing Hooky

In college, I was notorious for skipping classes. But when the real world hits you, skipping work is no longer rewarding or cool. Remember that you’re now actually a productive member of society, so you have to play your part. Your workplace is a community that thrives off on helping one another, so your boss and co-workers will definitely not appreciate you ditching your responsibilities with bad habits to watch the live-action Lion King.

Taking On Too Many Responsibilities

In college, you may have been the president of two organizations, and your list of extracurricular activities may have been longer than your courses’ syllabi, but that won’t fly in the real world. If you bite off more than you can chew in the workplace, you’re in for a lot of trouble. Having too much on your plate drastically lessens the quality of your work because you’ll eventually exhaust yourself. And in the workplace, quality always beats quantity, so they key is to make your work shine. Whenever your boss asks your team if anyone’s available to take on extra tasks, think twice before raising your hand.

It never hurts to turn down anything you can’t handle, especially if you already have too much on your plate. You’ll thank yourself later!

Half-Assing Your Work

You may have just barely passed your college classes, but in the real world, half-assing your work will get you nowhere. Your boss, just like your college professors, will know that your work isn’t up to par. So try to spend a little more time on your important work projects. After all, your work is a reflection of your values as both a professional and a person.

Putting Yourself On A Pedestal

You may have been at the top of your college class, but you’re not the smartest person in your office. The sooner you realize that you’re no longer the best and brightest, the better your life will be.

When you realize that you’re not the smartest one in the room, you’ll find the motivation to excel in your work. There’s no better way to stay humble than to take failures and criticisms head-on. So if your supervisor tells you that your work wasn’t perfect, take the hard news like a champ, use your failure as a stepping stone, and start over.

Posting Too Much On Social Media

When you were in college, you probably spent a lot of time scrolling through social media, posting statuses, and uploading photos and memes. But now that you’re a professional, it’s time to polish up your social media presence. No matter how private your profile might be, potential employers will always find a way to trace your social media footprint. You don’t necessarily have to deactivate your social media accounts, but you should keep your social media involvement professional.

Moving into the “real world” can be anxiety-provoking and challenging, but with the right tools, you are sure to succeed. So take these tips and run with them because the “real world” is waiting for you!

2 COMMENTS

Another habit is excess paperwork. Each student can ask professional writers for help to write my book report. I think that modern companies need specialists in their profession and not just students who can do paperwork.